, 1887-04-16
THE EARTHQUAKE.
To the Editor 0fthe Spectator. j

b1hD b0CulOn " UnS 0SuCln hlN16Id Lie
has suffered most from the recent earthquake
shocks, I think it may be interesting to lay
before your readers some account of the &C
tual state OF things prevailing in those parts.
Although the earthquake shock was fear
fully startling to the whole region between
Marseilles and Genoa, it was only seriously
destructive to buildings over rather more
than a third of that area, and to human life
over about overwhelmingly, from San
Reno eastwards to Savona, a distance of
sixty miles. At San Reno itself no human
Rfe was lost, nor were any buildings wreck
ed but the valleys Immediately to the east
ward were scenes of the most terrible disas-
ters.
EgIn the French section of the district, in
GLIDING Hyeres, St. Raphael, and Cannes, we
escaped with q very severe shaking and ner-
vous alarm while at Nice comparatively
slight, and at Montone serious, wreckage of
buildings occurred, but hardly any loss of
life.
The panics which occurred amongst the
visitors at the two aforementioned places,
gave an altogether exaggerated Importance to
the real facts Of the case. Speaking gener-
ally, except in the case of persons of an ex-
ceptionally nervous temperament, ! should
advise no one to be deferred from coming out
to the Riviera for an Easter holiday by APP
PtO1OIA0lOA4 " AdASSA Ok III
trains run with unbroken regularity between
Marseilles and Genoa, even through the sixty
miles between San Reno and Savona where
the shocks were most severely felt, 1t speaks
volumes for the excellence of the work of the
contractors of the railway (whoever they
were), that not q bridge or q tunnel has
throughout suffered any Damage whatever.
1t is hardly possible, however, to exagger-
ats the proportions o. the calamity over the
densely populated area between San Reno
and Savona, including twenty townships
having a separate rai.wAy-station on the
eoast-line, or marina. each station feeding 81
group of ~casteEi, or mountain villages, up
the side valleys, 1t is hardly too much to
say, thatthat portion OF the shore is strewn with
wrecks,-not of ships, but human dwellings.
The disaster culminaues at Diano Marina,
which, but three weeks ago q fourishing
community of some $500 souls, is now literal
~ 8 shapeless. heap Of ruins
AS | looked down upon it, drinking in that
surprisingly lovely view from the heights
between the Oneglia and Diano Valleys, a
deathlike silence reigned in the air. AS
descended by the steep mountain zig-zag
path to the shore, I encountered q solitary
sentinel on the beach, on guard over the city
of the dead. Presently I perceived one other
human being lying on a bank, reading-1 had
the curiosity to inquire. what? I found the
little volume to be IN Italian version of the
New Testament. Have you any more?"
he asked, eying q black handbag I was carry
ing. Alasl ! had none. On nearer approach,
/ found the bulk of the population which
survived the catastrophe encamped in the
vineyards, orchards. and open places outside
the ruins. 1t is not possible as yet to esti-
mate the exact number of the victims, but l
do not believe the total for the whole Riviera
will reach o thousand.
1t is quite remarkable to witness the calm
resignation with which the calamity is borne
by the italian population. One poor woman
at Alassio, whose Temporary home was a
railwayvan, remarked to me, " Dio III troppo
offeso, and an Italian waiter at one of the no
tells ct San Reno replied to a somewhat
fiippant remark of an English visitor about
she earthquake, that it was " Alto di Dio."
Poor Alassio-almost the. centre of the at-
ficted district-has suffered grievously, es-
pecialIy it's old walled-in town, the abode OF
decayed nobility. and quite impoverished res
probability, It was sad in the extreme to
thread the narrow alleys at an early hour yes
terday morning, and to be turned back by .
warning sentry, and the rafting fell of debris
of ARTISTIC upper stories being ruthlessly ham.
mered down by q soldier mounted on the
top of q fre.escape. Almost every one OF
the lofty piles lining the narrow High